The cause of death has not been made public. Peters said a "pathologist is on the investigating team and will confirm the cause and extent of injuries".

At this point, police could confirm that all five victims were "male, middle-aged, homeless and killed during the night".

Gauteng police commissioner Lt-Gen Elias Mawela has instructed a high-level task team to investigate the murders.

Nqobile Sibanda, a homeless man in the area, told SowetanLIVE that he feared for his life after being attacked in his sleep last month. He fears that this was at the hands of the same assailant who has gone on a rampage, murdering homeless men in Pretoria.

"I'm scared of that man. He stabbed me four times," he said.

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